Tell Me About Your Climb to Nursing Success

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I have decided that due to having a very busy life and four active children that nursing school at this particular time is not the right way for me to go. I am instead attending a CNA class and then eventually plan to become a nurse, but in a slower way than I had originally planned in order to spend as much time as possible with my family. I would like to hear personal stories from people on the board who started in the healthcare field as CNA's or even some other job, and gradually became a nurse by taking pre-reqs part-time, and learning more about nursing while gaining work skills. I get discouraged sometimes because I am 30 years old and have always wanted to do nursing but have never had enough family support, money or time to do it, so I thought starting as a CNA and working my way there slowly was a better bet. Please encourage me with your slow, steady path kind of story. Thanks!

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Specializes in Med Surg, Home Health, Dialysis, Tele.

Well, I am currently an RN but in 2005 I was working at Exxon-Mobil gas station. I had been working fulltime and going to school parttime for a very long time. In 2005 I quit my job to go to LVN school (since LVN school was fulltime M-F 8-4). My husband, 2kids, and I lived on $40/wk food/everything budget ( I still don't know how we survived, only by the Grace of God!). Graduated in May 2006, started working right out of School. June 2007, went back to transition to RN, worked fulltime while going to school. Graduated in May 2008 as RN. In june I start my BSN program at Texas Women's University. How I paid for school was through grants (FAFSA or Pell grant) for pre-requs and Work source program for Nursing school ( only for partial LVN), otherwise I paid for everything else. It can be done, don't let anyone tell you different! I home-schooled and didn't ever think it was possible. And by the way I am 32 years old. :D

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

I was a CNA yrs ago (89-93). I quit to go to cosmetology school. Got married, became licensed and worked a couple yrs in a salon. Got pregnant with my oldest daughter. Planned to return to the salon after a 6 week maternity leave.....that leave has now turned into 14 yrs plus two more daughters! It was after my 3rd daughter was born that I got an uncontrollable desire to want to go to nursing school. I can't explain why, but it was overwhelming. I decided to enroll in school in 2003 and took classes knocking out co-reqs to the nursing program. In 2005 I applied to the nursing program and got in. Got my LPN in 2006 and RN in 2007. Now I'm happily working PRN (8-14hrs a week) and truly couldn't be happier with the path I took. Maybe when my girls are out of the house, I will continue on to BSN or higher. I took out a fafsa loan to help me through school....

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.

Lets see:

At the ripe old age of 14 I decided i was going to be a cosmetologist. So, I scrapped all my academic classes for votech classes and proceeded to pass all them with flying colors ( I really wasnt being academically challenged to be honest). At the riper old age of 16, I had a child. :eek: Quite a Surprise there for everyonw. I managed to make childcare arrangements though that would allow me to finish high school. In my senior year, I discovered the health careers program and enrolled. I job shadowed at the hospital and I figured out here that I wanted to be a nurse.

Fortunately, my school offered full paid scholarships to the health college..but two years was a bit long for me to go when I had a child to support, so I decided on Surgical Technology which was an 11 month course at the time. Was accepted to the ST program and after graduating high school I went there. Managed to Graduate from there, Get my first "real job" and worked to support myself and my son. After being in the OR for just 2 years I still wasnt happy...so I decided to continue my journey in nursing. And now, TOMORROW!!! May 15th 2009, I graduate with my ASN after 6 years of operating room work as an ST. It has been very valuable to me in school and Im glad I went the long route.

I cant wait to start...:loveya:

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Wow, what awesome replies!! These are the kind of stories that keep me going when I want to quit. You people are what the American spirit is made of. We gals can birth babies, love husbands, keep our homes then still keep educating ourselves and support our families in a meaningful way. That rocks!!

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I've said this on here before but I'll say again. My mom told me when I first decided to go back to school, "the next few years are going pass no matter what. You can either do what you have been doing, or you can make them count." Just keep doing what your doing. You'll never regret getting an education, but you will regret not getting on. On that same token, you can never spend too much time with your family. You only get one shot at being a parent, so make that count. Good for you for putting your family first. Sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders.

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I just wanted to thank everyone for sharing your stories. I am taking my pre-reqs and plan on applying for nursing school as soon as I am finished! To say that I am excited would be the understatement of the year!!!! Your stories made me realize that I can do this no matter what obstacles stand in the way...thank you.

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